huytim-341-blog

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Project 3: Final Hand-In

Pitch:

My final ideation uses recycled paper clay and self-controlled printing to create sculptures. The sculptures are based off of data information of a country, so the same sculpture will be printed but in different sizes depending on size of data. It uses a button that starts and pauses the extrusion and a slider that changes the speed it is extruding at. Placed contextually as an art installation, it becomes an interactive experience for the audience to play with, where one user will press the button to extrude while another might be doing it at a different time. The final output (sculpture) is unknown to them, so they become curious and intrigued to interact with the design.

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Project 3: Development

To demonstrate the extrusion process, I quickly modelled a shaft with a piston-like bottom that would push into a cartridge of some sort. The cog/gear on the side would be attached to the stepper motor, and when turned on would move downwards and upwards with the extruding material. 

(Included are some failed prints as I made my cartridge too thin to begin with).

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Project 3: Material

A problem with my last project was the material; it was not consistent for extruding. I looked at different ways to make it more feasible for printing such as using a paper powder base, or turning it into clay.

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Project 3: Putting together the Mechanism

https://www.instructables.com/id/Cartridge-extruder/

After looking at numerous videos on how to recreate an extruding device, I decided to base mine off of this example. I chose this one because it was self-controlled and didn’t need to be connected to an actual 3D printer. The feature of having it controlled by the user was something that I wanted to incorporate in my creative creator so that some interaction was available. 

I looked at different components in the example and tried to get some similar ones for the proof-of-concept model. It took a lot of time and I had a lot of trouble trying to code the different components as there were three; the stepper motor, the button and the slider. Thanks to a lot of help from Jeongbin, I ended up with a mechanism with all three components working. Essentially it would be connected to an extruder of some sort where the stepper motor helps push the extruder down, pushing the button starts the extrusion, holding down the button stops the extrusion and finally, moving the slider changes the speed that the material is extruded. 

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Project 3: Details

Context - Placed in an art gallery as an interactive installation

Who can use it?  - I think it would look nice on a larger scale with multiple 3d printing stations in an art gallery. It would be an art installation that is interactive to the public.

Why make it?  - Introduces a new way of 3d printing where anyone and everyone can have control over how/when it is printed. Creating another way of visualising data that isn’t just tables and graphs, but instead through 3d printed sculptures.

Mechanism - Button for stopping and starting extrusion - Slider to change the speed of extrusion 

Input/Output - Paper clay that has been recycled and a set of data goes in to produce different sized sculptures

Impact - Creates a beautiful art piece whilst also informing people of a certain issue/information. For this project, I focused on paper wastage in different countries, but it could be anything whatsoever.

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Project 3: Output Development

Developing on the output of my creative creator, I looked at making my sculptures abstract and decided to print out some to see how the different sizing could be shown. The different countries would be displayed with the interactive printing feature and displayed as an installation. People would wander by and if curious, could decide to press the button to print for a country. They wouldn’t see what was being created, the size, shape, colour..anything. So it would be a lovely surprise to end up with a sculpture. There would be some sort of scale as well that would provide the informative aspect of the sculpture (eg. __size of sculpture is also equivalent to __kg of paper waste in New Zealand).

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Project 3: Concept Development

My creative creator will be a self-controlled 3d printer that users can interact with. Following from my previous projects, I still would like to make something that is an art installation and be displayed for public viewing/use. 

I decided that the output would be art sculptures as the 3d printing process would be able to produce beautifully sculptured forms easily.

The main development that I wanted to work on is making the output relative to data information. So basically, the sculptures would be a data visualisation and be represented of a specific type of information. This way, the sculpture is not only visual, but too informative. An example of this is that because the material being used is recycled paper clay, the different sculptures prints created could be different sized according to the amount of paper wasted specific to a place or country. 

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Project 3: Precedents

https://www.dezeen.com/2011/09/27/water-calligraphy-device-by-nicholas-hanna/

https://design-milk.com/cerambot-affordable-3d-ceramics-printer/

https://design-milk.com/logigram-turntable-3d-printing/

I looked at different existing precedents where an extrusion method was used to create something. What caught my eye from these examples was the material that was being extruded as well as the output, which steered away from traditional 3d printing.

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Project 3: Creative Creator

To continue on from the previous project, I am still using the extrusion aspect of a 3d printer as the main part of my creative creator. To develop it, I want to make the extrusion to be able to be controlled by the user. This elevates it from just typical 3d printing and instead creates an interactive experience between the creative creator and the user.

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Project 2: Final Hand-in Presentation

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Project 2: Experimenting with Materials

Newspaper: - To experiment with newspaper, I added it to water to release the fibres. I blended it and strained the excess water out of it so I could try and extrude it. I found that I was unable to extrude it through the nozzle because the fibres of the newspaper would get clogged. I formed the pulp into different shapes to experiment with different temperature conditions. When put in the oven, the forms created a glue like texture at the base.

Natural Binding Agents: - I added different natural binding agents to see how it would hold with the newspaper mixture. They all had different qualities in terms of texture and thickness, but once combined with the newspaper mixture, all ended up looking the same. 

Plant-based Dyes:  - I used different spices and foods such as tumeric, curry powder and beetroot to try add colour to the mixture. I used different methods of adding colour such as just blending it in, soaking the newspaper beforehand and combining it without liquid to see if it would affect the end colour opacity. 

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Project 2: Method(s)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bEFE6Mw-fM

To try and replicate the idea of 3D printing, I looked at different extruders. The ones that I could get access to were only plastic and rather flimsy, so I wonder if it will be strong enough to extrude my newspaper pulp filament. Ideally, I would’ve liked to use a clay extruder as the paper mâché mixture can be similar to clay, but it had to be bought over from the US. For the method, I am wanting to extrude the filament around moulds to form different 3-dimensional structures. 

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Project 2: Desired Output

For the output from my creative creator, I am wanting to redesign and create the temporary pots that plants come in when purchased. These pots are typically plastic, and get thrown out once the vegetation from in them has been removed and planted. The idea would be that people who purchase the new design would just place these ‘pots’ straight into their final pots. As they water the plant, the temporary pot would slowly break down due to its compostable and sustainable nature and its materiality would act as as compost to help the plant to grow. Newspaper is considered a brown composting material and helps add carbon to a composting pile. It can't act as a composter alone however, as it needs some sort of green compost material with it too. This is where the natural binding agent and plant based dyes would come in. 

I looked at different precedents of designs similar to what I am trying to achieve, and noticed that they are very simple in form, and look very plain. For mine, it would be interesting to consider these factors: 

- allow users/target audience to customise form of pot? - identify food waste at home that can be used for plant based dyes?  - different plant shape/size can determine look of pot

Further Details: 

How can output be produced? - Forms can be various and unique by taking advantage of the 3d printing process

What is the most attractive, impressive, effective way?  - Coming up with the perfect material for extrusion would influence this, focusing on the consistency, texture, colour...

How long will it take to make? - CAD models would need to be designed, and the time to create output would depend on the size and complexity of form.

How long will output exist once produced?  - It will be strong enough in structure that it can sit in a store for purchasing, before being put into a pot and slowly composting away. Form of pot ‘dies’ as plant grows.

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Project 2: Material Research (Binding Agent)

https://www.livestrong.com/article/476616-what-foods-are-binders/

To provide structural support to my products, I need to combine the newspaper pulp with a binding agent. I looked into natural binding agents and the most common ones were

- potato starch - flour - eggs - tapioca flour

They all have different qualities when mixed with a liquid, and their appearance, thickness and texture all vary, meaning I will have to experiment with different binding agents to find an appropriate one for my desired output.

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Project 2: Material Research (Plant-based Dyes)

The main element that I want to add to differentiate from this process is the idea  of colour. It would need to be plant-based as the entirety of my concept revolves around making the materials/process/products sustainable. I believe this could really heighten the look of the overall product, and could create unique designs from the different possibilities of colour combination. Again, it can also be customisable for the user/target audience, and make the end product more personal in a way. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiZpDsmDVCc&t=397s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0dhvWA5iq4&t=24s

https://www.marthastewart.com/1518254/natural-dyes-from-vegetables-and-plants

I started looking at different methods that people use to create their own plant-based dyes, and made a plan of the simplest ways I thought I could too achieve this at home. 

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Project 2: Material Research (Paper)

From my research in Project 1B, it was found that the most wasted materials were cardboard and newspaper.

Cardboard: - high quality (thick) - mainly used for packaging and boxes - can be used many times without losing its strength 

NOTE: waxed, wet and soiled cardboard cannot be recycled 

https://recyclingworksma.com/how-to/materials-guidance/recycling-cardboard/

Paper:  - office paper is high-grade and can be recycled into printing paper - generally recycled into newspaper and magazines - document papers need to be specifically shredded/recycled to avoid leaking personal and sensitive information 

https://recyclingworksma.com/how-to/materials-guidance/recycle-paper/

Newspaper: - gets shredded and mixed with water - fibres in paper get broken down every time it is recycled - ink can be extracted and recycled into other things (bathroom tissues, paper towels) - can be composted

https://recyclingworksma.com/how-to/materials-guidance/recycle-paper/

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Project 2: Concept Development

Going off Project 1B, to differentiate my idea from my chosen precedent, I want to change the texture and appearance of the filament. I think it would be interesting to take the final product away from looking like typical recycled paper as thats what people already expect to see. It would be interesting as adding these different features to the paper make it almost more personal for the target audience, and in a way customisable. People are able to print according to their own preferences and achieve different and unique outcomes.

Things to look into/work on:  - final product?  - functionality?  - existing patents?